Free Downloads The Big Book Of Swashbuckling Adventure: Classic Tales Of Dashing Heroes, Dastardly Villains, And Daring Escapes
“A delicious, pulse-quickening compendium of thrilling rescues, daring escapes, dreadful peril, and glorious adventure, masterfully curated by an editor who wields his pen as skillfully as any swashbuckler ever swung a sword."―Charles Ardai, Edgar Award-winning author and publisher of Hard Case Crime The word “swashbuckler” conjures up an indelible image: a hero who’s a bit of a rogue but has his own code of honor, an adventurer with laughter on his lips and a flashing sword in his hand. This larger-than-life figure is regularly declared passé, but the swashbuckler is too appealing to ever really die. Who wouldn’t want to face deadly danger with confidence and élan? Who can deny the thrill of clashing blades, hairbreadth escapes, and daring rescues, of facing vile treachery with dauntless courage and passionate devotion? The swashbuckler tradition was born out of legends like those of the Knights of the Round Table and of Robin Hood, revived in the early 19th century by Romantic movement authors such as Sir Walter Scott. The genre caught hold with the publication of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers in 1844, and for the next century it was arguably the world’s leading form of adventure fiction. Featuring selections by twenty hugely popular writers from the last century including Rafael Sabatini; Johnston Mcculley (creator of the Zorro character); Alexandre Dumas: Arthur Conan Doyle; and Pierce Egan (author of Robin Hood), this anthology is dedicated to the swashbuckler’s roots: historical adventures by the masters of the genre. Most of these stories have been out of print for decades; some have never before been collected in book form. All are top-notch entertainment. So, ready for some action? En garde!
Paperback: 604 pages
Publisher: Pegasus Books (December 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 160598650X
ISBN-13: 978-1605986500
Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 1.4 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,064,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #56 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical > Short Stories & Anthologies > Anthologies #1093 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure > Classics #8162 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories & Anthologies > Anthologies
Not only does this collection of short stories present a wonderfully wide array of swashbuckling adventure, but the short introductions written by Mr. Ellsworth before each tale provide valuable and entertaining insights into the authors of each piece.Too often I've read "lesser-known works" by authors whose more famous works I've enjoyed only to be reminded why an item might have remained mostly unknown for years. The Big Book contains none of these. Each is a true treasure, unearthed by Mr. Ellsworth and presented with style.While each tale of swashbuckling, romance, or piratical adventure has its own individual appeal, one thing inks them all together: The beautiful, unmistakable language. There's a roll to the meter and an imagery to the word-choice that simply immerses the reader in the genre. Pick up the Big Book and find yourself swept away!
This is a fine collection of classic stories from the roots of the swashbuckling tradition. Written by the masters of the genre, including Arthur Conan Doyle, Alexandre Dumas, Rafael Sabatini and others, most of these stories have been out-of-print for some time, so it is a delight to have them now in one volume. Before each story, Lawrence Ellsworth has written a brief introduction to the tale and its author which provides an excellent context. Whether your soul wishes to roam the alleys of Paris, ride a fast steed in central Asia, return through Germany with Napoleon's defeated army, or slip on the bloody deck of a pirate ship, there is a story here to stir that soul, and rouse your heroic spirit against dreadful odds. Bravo, Lawrence, and may another volume appear soon.
Do you like swashbuckling adventures? Maybe you don't know you do yet. You should read this book and find out. I really enjoyed it. Highly romantic, action filled, fun stories. Lawrence gives a good introduction to the stories and authors too, for background.This collection of stories makes for great reading. I'm sure it would also make a great gift.
âThe Big Book of Swashbuckling Adventureâ by Lawrence Ellsworth lives up to its name, and delivers a heaping assortment of derring-do, courageous swordplay, unbridled love, and razor wit, compiled conveniently into one enormous anthology.Flavor is the true treasure to be dug up from these pages. Each story is positively swimming in it. Youâll smell the salty sea air. Youâll feel the hot Caribbean sun tan your face. Youâll work up a sweat fending off saber strikes, and feel your pulse racing while you ride to deliver intelligence that could prevent, or provoke, a bloody warâ¦.By my tastes, most of the stories Ellsworth offers are darling, a few are outstanding, and one or two are merely decent. For the amount of sheer words within this work, however, itâs a steal.The pirate stories stand out the most, but perhaps thatâs due in part to the fact that the two longest selections both happen to be piratical tales.Awkwardly, the bookâs physical size became an issue for me. I do most of my reading in the New York City subway system, and that regularly involves being smashed into a crowded train car. For a two-handed book, as this one is, that meant several trips where extracting my swashbuckling tome was sadly not feasible. If you prefer to ingest your literature digitally, though, or if you tend to read under more forgiving circumstances, then you will avoid such inconvenience.A great bonus to reading an anthology such as this is that itâs a marvelous way to get introduced to new (at least new to you) and wonderful authors. My two favorites are Rafael Sabatini and Stanley J. Weyman.
Excellent collection!! Colorful, informative insights by Mr. Ellsworth into the genre and authors behind the selections he has successfully presented in this volume! Looking forward to Volume 2!!
Great collection of adventure stories spanning many decades and centuries. Worth the purchase!
very comprehensive
......nice book....... but since i bought for my son, it really needs a few illustrations to breakup the chapters...
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